Experience New Zealand Travel Ltd Wellington, New Zealand Phone +64 (4) 473 4470 www.experiencenz.com travel@experiencenz.com Ultimate Explorer New Zealand Guided Tours Operator: Grand Pacific Tours Days: 16 Start: Christchurch Finish: Auckland Grand Pacific coach tours offer you an experience where everything is taken care of. From the time you arrive in New Zealand a friendly smile awaits. Grand Pacific Tours professional crew will provide a high standard of service. See New Zealand s spectacular scenery in armchair comfort as you travel through each region. Grand Pacific Tours offers an "all inclusive" style of touring and believe it is important for you to return home from your holiday feeling that you have received excellent value for money. Tour Overview Travel in a small group of up to 20 travellers on a luxury coach while seeing all of the highlights of New Zealand. See Christchurch, Mount Cook, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Fox Glacier, Wellington, Rotorua, Auckland and the beautiful Bay of Islands. Inclusions Attractions Larnach Castle Milford Sound Cruise & Lunch Cruise Lake Wakatipu on the TSS Earnslaw Lakes District Museum TranzAlpine Rail Journey Cruise on the Interislander Ferry Te Papa, NZ s National Museum Skyline Rotorua Gondola & Luge Ride Agrodome Kiwi Encounter Rainbow Springs Thermal mud pools & geysers Te Puia Traditional Maori Hangi & Concert Dolphin / Hole in the Rock Cruise Kauri Museum City sights tour of Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington & Auckland Transportation Ultimate small group touring coach with 20 luxury leather reclining seats on a full size vehicle, panoramic windows, seat side storage, individual USB charging points and WIFI Page 1 of 5
Professionally Escorted Professional coach captain and guide Dining Inclusions 15 cooked breakfasts including one specialty breakfast 13 sumptuous dinners including three specialty dinners 1 picnic lunch on your Milford Sound cruise 1 delicious Ultimate High Tea at Larnach Castle Plus Personalised Meet and Greet on arrival Comprehensive documentation pack Return airport transfers All sightseeing and pre-paid attractions Hotel porterage Flight Information Dinner is not included on Day 1 if you arrive after 8:00pm. You can depart anytime on Day 16. Tour itinerary B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner SD = Special Dinner Day 1: Arrive Christchurch On arrival into Christchurch you will be met by a Grand Pacific Tours representative who will transfer you to your hotel. Meet your travelling companions over a complimentary pre dinner drink. Hotel: The George Hotel. D Day 2: Christchurch Mt Cook After an introductory city sights tour depart Christchurch and travel through the southern Canterbury Plains to Lake Tekapo. See the brilliant turquoise water, visit The Church of the Good Shepherd and view the Sheep Dog Statue. Marvel at the spectacular mountain ranges including Mt Cook, New Zealand s highest peak. The opportunity is available to enjoy a scenic flight (optional, weather permitting) over the Southern Alps. Hotel: The Hermitage Hotel. B D Day 3: Mt Cook - Dunedin Depart Mt Cook and see Lake Benmore, before following the Waitaki River to Oamaru, famous for its limestone. Continue south to Dunedin and enjoy an informative city tour followed by some free time to explore at leisure. The sweet tooth might like to tour Cadbury World (optional) whilst others might be interested in a tour of the Speight s Brewery (optional). Hotel: Distinction Dunedin. B D Page 2 of 5
Day 4: Dunedin Te Anau Travel along the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle where you will hear of the tragic and scandalous history on a guided tour. Enjoy time to wander around this Garden of International Significance followed by an Ultimate High Tea in the Grand Ballroom. Farewell Dunedin and travel through Balclutha and Gore to Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland and your overnight stay. Tonight you may like to visit the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves (optional). Hotel: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas. B D Day 5: Te Anau Milford Sound Queenstown Depart Te Anau for a fascinating drive to Milford Sound where you board your launch for a cruise on this magnificent fiord. See the spectacular Bowen Falls and towering Mitre Peak as you enjoy a picnic lunch. This afternoon travel to Queenstown, overlooking magical Lake Wakatipu. Spend the next two nights at this year round resort which offers a wide range of activities and attractions. This evening is free and you may choose to dine at one of the many fine restaurants. Hotel: Millennium Hotel Queenstown (2 nights). B L Day 6 Queenstown (Free Day) Today is a free day for you to explore Queenstown at leisure. Your guide is available to assist with the many sightseeing options available, including the thrill of a jet boat ride, a heritage tour to Skippers Canyon or get up close to a Kiwi bird. This evening board the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw and cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. Sit back, relax and enjoy a gourmet barbecue dinner which the chef will prepare in front of you at the Colonel s Homestead. After dinner enjoy a short farm tour then reboard the TSS Earnslaw for a sing along by the piano as you cruise back to Queenstown. B SD Day 7: Queenstown Fox Glacier Travel to Arrowtown, an old goldmining village and visit the Lakes District Museum. Continue via the Haast Pass to the West Coast, an area of stunning beauty. See the snow capped peaks of the Southern Alps as you travel north to Fox Glacier. Time is available (weather permitting) to experience a scenic flight (optional) over the spectacular glaciers before arriving at your hotel. Hotel: Distinction Fox Glacier. B D Day 8: Fox Glacier Arthurs Pass- Christchurch Travel to Hokitika and visit the Greenstone Factory. Continue to Arthur s Pass and board The TranzAlpine, renowned as one of the great train journeys of the world. View rivers and valleys as you travel through the Waimakariri Basin, over massive viaducts and through the patchwork farmlands of the Canterbury Plains to the elegant city of Christchurch. On arrival your Ultimate Coach will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Hotel: The George. B D Page 3 of 5
Day 9: Christchurch Picton Wellington Travel along the East Coast to the seaside village of Kaikoura. Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you travel through Marlborough Country, famous for its food and wine. Continue to Picton, where you board the Interislander Ferry for your journey through the Marlborough Sounds and across Cook Strait to Wellington. Hotel: InterContinental Wellington (2 nights). B D Day 10: Wellington A highlight this morning will be time to explore Te Papa, New Zealand s National Museum. This is followed by an extensive city tour which explains the history and culture on show in New Zealand s capital, Wellington. Enjoy some free time to explore at leisure this afternoon. This evening is also free and you may choose to dine at one of the many fine restaurants. B Day 11: Wellington Taupo - Rotorua Depart Wellington and view the snow capped peaks of Mt Ruapehu and Mt Tongariro as you travel to Lake Taupo. Visit the spectacular Huka Falls then travel along the Thermal Explorer Highway to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua. Hotel: Regent of Rotorua (2 nights). B D Day 12: Rotorua Today begins with a Gondola ride at the Skyline Rotorua for breakfast with champagne, spectacular views and also time for a thrilling luge ride! Next stop is the Agrodome for an action packed hour of farming entertainment and education that s unlike anything you ve seen before. Continue to Rainbow Springs, spanning 22 acres of native trees. A highlight will be the Kiwi Encounter experience which offers a unique behind-the-scenes tour of a working kiwi nursery and hatchery. Some free time is available before travelling to Te Puia to see the boiling mud pools and awesome geysers that Rotorua is famous for. This evening experience an entertaining Maori Hangi and Concert. B SD Day 13: Rotorua Auckland Bay of Islands This morning depart Rotorua and travel north via Auckland to the Parry Kauri Park to see a magnificent example of a Kauri Tree. Continue via Whangarei to Paihia, situated in the heart of the beautiful Bay of Islands. Enjoy an introduction to the Bay of Islands, location of the signing of the treaty between the Maori tribes and the British. Hotel: Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands (Deluxe Room, 2 nights). B D Day 14: Bay of Islands This morning cruise through the beautiful Bay of Islands on board a luxury catamaran to Cape Brett and the famous Hole in the Rock. Keep an eye out for bottlenose and common dolphins before returning via Russell to Paihia for a free afternoon. A range of optional activities are available or you may choose to relax and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the waterfront. B D
Day 15: Bay of Islands - Auckland Depart the Bay of Islands this morning and travel via Whangarei and Dargaville to Matakohe. Enjoy a visit and informative talk at the Kauri Museum before continuing to Auckland for a city sights tour. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner including selected beverages with your new found friends. Hotel: Crowne Plaza Auckland. B SD Day 16: Depart Auckland Time to say goodbye. You ll be transferred to the airport for your flight home after a memorable New Zealand holiday. B Booking Terms and Conditions 1. Reservations and Payments A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to confirm your booking. Failure to pay the deposit within 5 days of booking may result in the cancellation of your reservation. Full and final payment must be received no later than 50 days prior to departure date. If full payment is not received by this date, Grand Pacific Tours reserves the right to cancel the booking. Bookings made within 50 days of travel date must be paid in full upon confirmation. 2. Cancellations/Amendments If you have to cancel your tour for any reason, the following fees apply: Outside 45 days prior to departure loss of deposit. Between 7 and 45 days prior to departure, 50% of the tour price. Less than 7 days prior to departure, 100% of the tour price. If you wish to cancel your existing booking and transfer to a new departure date, the above cancellation fees will still apply. Itinerary valid: September 2016 May 2017. Click here to return to the Experience New Zealand website. Page 5 of 5